Concave bottom hull construction



Sept. 30, 1952` J. H. WENDT CONCAVE BOTTOM HULL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug.lles. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- Sept. 30, 1952 J. H. vwr-:NDT2,612,130

cONcAvE BOTTOM HULL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1e. 1949 s sheets-sheet 2Sept. 30, 1952 J. H. WENDT 2,612,130

cONcAvE BOTTOM HULL. CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 16. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Sept. 30, 1952 J. H. wENDT coNcAvE BOTTOM HULL CONSTRUCTIONFi1edAug.'1e. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 `Sept. 30, 1952 J. H. wENpT CONCAVEBOTTOM HUL.. CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 16. 1949 5 Sheets-*Sheet 5INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y i 2,612,130 f jCONcAvE BOTTOM HULL CONSTRUCTION Johannes H. Wendt, williams Bay, Wis.

Application August 16, 1949, Serial No. 110,560

2 claims. (Cl. 114-62) The present invention relates to universal boats,and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved boat,the structure and design of which is adaptable universally; that is, foruse as a row boat, a, power boat, or a sail boat.

,One'of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improvedboat structure which is capable of universal use in all of the threefields of boating, as a row boat, as a power boat, and as a sail boat.

Another object of the invention is to place within the means of agreater number of the public an improved boat structure which, althoughinitially purchased as a row boat, may later be supplemented with amotor for use as a speed boat and may also be supplemented withattachments by means of which it is transformed into a sail boat, andthe structure of which is advantageous for all three of these phases ofboating. y

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved boatstructure which is light, durable, capable of economical structure, hasa minimum resistance to forward movement, has a maximum resistance totipping, which tends to plane on top of the water when properly loaded,Yand which may be provided with a detachable weighted keel so that itmay be used as a sail boat with maximum efliciency in all of its uses.

Another object is the provision of an improved detachable keel structurefor boats, by means of which the stability of the boat may be increasedand by means of which it may be provided with a weighted keel, asdistinguished from a center board.

Other objects 'and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, inwhich similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are four sheets,

Fig. 1 is a, top plan view of a boat embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken on the plane of the line4--4 of Fig. 6, showing the details of attachment of the detachablekeel;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane of the line5-5 of Fig. 4; y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view similar to Fig. 3, showingthe details offconstruction ofthe hull of the'b'oat and thefarrangementof the frames;

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line1-1 of Fig; 6;' lookingin the direction of the arrows;r "ff" Fig. 8 is afragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 8-`8 of Fig.6, looking inthe direction of thefar-rows; f

Fig. `9 is a fragmentary Ldetail view Voffthe hull v structure at thecenter liri'e ofthe bottom, oni a larger scale than Fig. 6;*

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan viewof the stern of the boat, showingthe'motor and rudder bracket; *ff f'f-f Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sideelevational vlew of the stern of the boat,` showing the rhode. ofattachment of the rudder to the'boat; f

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane Ofthe line|2-I2 of Fig. 1,*'looking in the direction of the arrows, showing how.the oar locks are attached.

Fig. 13 is a, larger cross-sectional View taken on the plane of line i3l 3 ,Fig.v 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 20 indicates in its entirety my improvedboat, which is preferably constructed of one of the light metals, s uchas Duralumin, but Vis capable, of being'constructed of any suitablematerial,v such ashwood, other metals, plastics, plywood, etc.

The embodiment which has been selected to illustrate the vinventionisvcon'structed of the light metal mentioned, with the exception `ofcertain of the parts, such as the seat, decks, mast, and rudder, whichare preferably made of wood; andthe weight of the detachable keel" 2|maybe made of solid iron or of a steel shellfilled with lead. I

The bodyof the boat is preferably constructed of a plurality of `thelight metal panels reinforced and supported upon suitable metal thesepanels are to be curved substantially along the lines which are shown inFig. 2. For example, the line 26 indicates the water line, while theline 21 indicates the juncture between the panel 22 and the side panel28 or the juncture between the panel 25 and the other side panel 28.

The panels 22 and 25 of the bottom preferably extend .diagonally,.dewnwerd.and..inward et en obtuse angle,` approximating inayfgeneralgway the curvature of a sail boat, at this point. The juncturebetween the panels 22 and 23 is indicated at 30 and that between thepanels 24 and 25 at 3 I.

At 30 the panel 23 is securedto the panelg22 in such manner that panel23 extends diagonally upward and inward to the center. line ofthe boat32, where it joins the panel 24,A Panel24alsp extends diagonally upwardand inward from the juncture 3I. The juncture between thev -panels 23and 24, at 32, may be substantially at the same level as..-.the earners-21 s.; mA-s .distinguished-fre .reundieeitem willfthus-:zbe Qbeervedrthathe panels @se 24 denne a kind of elongatedftunnelextendingbelgw.fthe-:bottom efuthezflvee inane-Melis,Se-disposedrthati mel `te thewater whieh. i= peagesmwhen :the degat; i.1tippine;..dueGera downwardferee 0n the 1.g1;1J's.Sde,.Q1f Starleflad. e :z: v*

Panel 23 is so posit' ne .fthe direetienef .mer fthexevent Y -tipninemeWard, applied On the left Q1,;=R0.....de Thee, the farraneementfef.- thebetternfnenels .23

4to. the

maximum lower position, Ymidway of the ends of thelboat..v 1;,1 i

...t1-,lem,andtheipenelsdf24 .fe-.r wateflpmore.; and .the plates. 35,.2 .meansetthe two. lines eifivete..itY 31.11% regu- Av2.4 aret all.riveted together. by

.lerlrfsnaeed .intervals ...the .bettemmenelsf are rivetedtedhelaelrzentalanee. 3.8 .ei .angle-iron wh' mslvetedlte transverseframememhet 39 @n-maxbeinthe fermpf anemie with a double anee.. .and@verdeel dense ,8.2..

' These frame members 33 extend to thesrdes'hof the boat',- where -theirverticalanges 40 overlap These frame members may also be provided with aslit in their vertical gsuchjhat they present a maximum resistance tosubstantially rectan l keel Iunit 2 I as ishown.in Fig...

r ecured.y to the bottom ...rahbeted reeesihin-Wlieh.it' ielSeeer-ed r1the tured to receivewawco ter pin flanges 4D at the mid-point 32 sothatl they may be bent downward to conform to the bottom panels 23, 24;and the slit may be lled with a gusset 43 forming part of iiange 82.

At the juncture between the panels 22 and 23 or 24 and 25 the framemember 39 may have its horizontal flange 38 cut away to make room forthe longitudinally extending plates 44, by means "of "whichv.there'se-'.panels vvare rivleted together with overlapping'plate 45;andthrough bores 5t. .prei/ideeetgendarmes@eed-remets.-ferwreeeyi Lthe.schen/,bolts SXZUQbymeans of which the Vrunners arefseeuredto. the.ull.

...endpffthe screwfbolt 52.car ries .a specialvv Miwaeher.. erfele.whieh the@ e trunnersdt,.alfidpl ular slot 'the .not 5.5 Segen.. ma 1vendsx of 1the, secur-ing..bolts"56 lbefore "they engage screws 59.

is secured to the runner and to the bottmoi'the .tioninFig...\3..-...CI.he.weightedikeel' portion- 65 of .;.1his..unit.comp'risesan..,elong'ated, .substantially `iiat metalbody, .whichisovaland vrouridedlat4 its ends, except: that.;.the. frontendBS-.peferably points upward, while-the .rear-.end S'I/ha'sitspointdownward. This is for the purpose of permitting `the front end toover-ride obstructions which it might engage.

The body 65 is preferably made of a heavy ported at each side by a pairof outwardly spreading legs 68, 69, 10, and 1|. These legs preferablyextend backwardly and downwardly toward the rear, while'also spreadingoutwardly and upward'- ly from the body 65.

The top of each of the legs 68, 69 is joined by a bracing strut 12, 13to the bottom of the legs 10, 1 I. The parts 68-13 are all preferablymade of a metal tubing which is streamlined in shape;

ythat is, generally formed with a rounded blunt forward edge and a moresharply curved trailing edge.

'Since additional weight may be of advantage,

ytheseparts may be made of welded steel. tubing;

and the ends of. the legs 68-1I may be welded to the iron or vsteel body65. At their upper ends the four legs 88-1I are turned vertically upwardat the attaching portion 14 of each leg and provided with a through bore15 extending hori.- zontallyand located to receive the screw bolts 56,

of which there are four, two on each runner.

Thus the keel may be attached by moving its attaching end -portion 14into the slots 55 and A ythen moving the frame of the keel so that thebores 15 receive the bolts 58. The frame is then secured by nuts 63 andlocked with cotter pins.

By means of the depending frame 88-13 the relatively at weighted keelbody 65 is supported vertically below the centerline vof the boat atsuch a low position that it acts like the weighted keel of a. sail boat,tending to counter-balance the boat against tipping, and alsopermittingthe as arrow boat; and at a laterdate, when fun'ds areavailable, he vmay transform it into a sail boat by purchasing the mast,boom, and sail, and the detachable keel. The same boat may,

however, be used for vrowing and tishing inl shallow Waters by removingthe keel at any time.

The side frame members 4| are shown in section in Fig. 7; and they arepreferably in the shape of a square Z with a double back ange on theinside. For example, each of these frame members 4| (Fig. '1) has a fiatbody 16 and a transverse attaching flange 11, which is riveted to theside panel 28 or 29.

On the inside of the frame member 4| the transverse flange 18 ispreferably bent back upon itself at 19, having a doubled flange 80.

The top flanges 83 of the bottom frame memlbers 39 may support asuitable floor rack. At

their upper ends the side frame members 4| are supplemented by means ofa deck plate 84, which may be made of the same material as the front andrear decks 85, 86. LThese front and rear decks and deck rails 84-86,when made of wood, are secured by means of bolts to transverselyextending deck frame members 81 located at reg--l ularly spaced points,arching upward `in rthe middle for drainage, and being of substantiallyT shape in cross section.

The deck frame members 81 are riveted at their ends to side framemembers 4|. The side frame members 4| also support a pair of woodenrails 88 on the inside and 89 on the outside, secured to the side framemembers by means of through 6 bolts and rivets, and to which the deckrail 84 may be secured by means of wood screws.V

The side frame members 4| also support suitable-horizontally extendingangle members 90 for supporting each end of the seats 9|, 92,93,

Awhich are rpreferably made of wood or nonmetallic material. to avoidthe high temperatures that are attained when metal is used.

A suitable lower block 94 is provided for receiving the end of a mast95,' which is also held at the deck 88 by' means of a U-shaped clampingmember S6, having vtwo threaded vends which pass through a deck framemember 81, where the legs are secured by nuts.

Theforward deck 86 preferably'terminates in an obtuse V-shaped outline91 at its rear edge. The side panels 28, 29 are curved laterally fromfront to back and curved inwardly at the bow to join with the bottompanel along a pair' of line indicated at 98.

At the stern of the boat the upper edge ofthe side panels 28, 29 ispreferably drawn inwardly, making the deck narrower than the bottom ofthe hull. The stern of the boat is covered by a pair of stern panels 99,|00v (Fig. 1), rivetedvin place and secured to transverse frame members.and drawn inwardly toward the rear deck 85 at the top so that the bottomof the hull is longer than the deck at this point. J

While the stern is thus not shapedtc support an outboard motor, the reardeck 85 may support a motor bracket |0| consisting of la vpair of metallegs |02 joined by bolts: |03v and upwardly attaching flanges |04 to aplank |05 of suii'icient thickness to receive the outboard clamp(Figpl). This rmotor supporting bracket may also have a depending metalstrap lfornied with an upwardly turned hook |01 of round stock, servingas a trunnion, for supporting the rudder |08. A similar hook |09 may becarried by the juncture of the stern panels 99, |00 ad- Ajacent theirbottom; and the two hook's |01,

v|09 may serve as trunnions for receiving the 'U-shaped bearing members||0 carried by the rudder |08. y 'I'he rudder `|08 may have a forwardlyAextending tiller'handle and the rudder should bcof suicient weight sothat it will not be floated off the trunnions |01, |09.

Referring to Fig. 12, this shows the structure of the oarlocks, whichmay be located rearwardly of the seats 92, 93. At these points the rails84 may be reinforced by including an elongated block ||2 between theflanges of the side frame members at their upper ends.

The block ||2 may be provided with a downwardly extending bore ||3 forreceiving the shank ||4 of an oar lock ||5. The dotted line position ofthe top of the oar lock ||5 shows the general shape of its arms, whichembrace the shank of the paddle. v

The present boat may thus be used as a row boat, an outboard boat, speedboat, a sail boat, or it may be equipped with an in-board motor. Thecurvature of the bottom is such that an in-bcard motor locatedamid-ships may have its shaft pass out of the bottom, forward of thestern, Where the propeller would be located, and supported by means of abearing bracket.

The upwardly pointed bow may have suiiicient free board to ride overwaves of reasonable size; and the bottom is so shaped that the boat willplane on top of the water when driven at a planing speed.

The boat presents a minimum resistance fonward motion when rowing; but@also y.presents a maximum lateralzresistance. against'- drifting. YWhentequipped with .the rdetachable fkeel, mast and'xsa'ils, it `provides :aisail boat wat .mininum expense; which fmay fbe ymanufactured very'eoonomicallyxand placed Within :the reach of la vast .number Aof'lo'urchasers .n f

As a sail'zboat Ithe .presentrboatapproximates 'theicharacteristics .ofasmallsail'boat for con- '.ventional design, fhavin'gia Weighted-:keelg'and :thus the presennboat structure is perfect 4for all lofsthevarious-'eldsof boating, and may-be used :interchangeably .o ,f 1 Y lWith this boat structure' itcwillqnofflonger be fnecessary 1 to buy :one:boat ',fespecially for :a` speed ,boat and another "especiallygfor.sailingand an- :otherfforfrowing eas all ofY these rfunctionscantbeiperformedwitha maximum emciency by my 'boat. Y v

While I have illustrated a preferredf-er'nbodi- Afinent of `i'myinvention, many modifications .may be -made IWithout ydepartingfromftlie=spirit of 'thetinventiom van'd-fIwdo ynotWish-Sto bel limited .totliewprecise detailsv'of construction set forth,

=hutdesire to avail myselfoffallfchanges Within.

A.thescape off-the appended claims. r Having vthus described my.invention-.what -I :claim asnew and ndesire to-fsecure: by .LettersPatent of theUnitedgStatesg-isz. l v, .1. nA; boat -.-hul1,comprising:Aa-.pair tor #longitudinallygoextending- Isubstantially. yparal-lel-:.keels nforminggbottommunners forthefhu-.llna plurality 056. bottomframe members @secured tof and; ex- ".tending otransversely toyfsaidkeels, @said ,transf Y verse .'bottom iframe members having stra-ight,

edge portions of said transverse frame zmen'ifbers 45 andyv curved:upwardly toward "i the ebow and "to- "ward: the stern fforming '-talongitudinally curved rinverted=v tunnelbeifWeen-fthel tworunnerseeachrunner 'being z mounted on :a .vbottom port/ion, complementary obtuseangle strips-'securedabove '.andfibelow the junctures between vsaidpanels, aupwardly extendingsideiframel members carried `by each endof,reach transverseY frame member, said transverse :frame membersdecreasing in '.len'gthf successively toward f the bow and -toward .fthestern, vand Ytvvoplane` side fpanels carried by fsaid.r side framevmembers/and secured' .thereto in curved position, curving inwardltowardthe EboW fand 'toward -the; Astern fand -joined togetherat"the'fbow :andjoine'd lto .the adjacent 'bottom panels; the junctureof saidsidepanels and the :adjacent bottom -panels beingfclosedfinsideand `iloutsicle-loy Atwo. complementarily-shaped angle istrip 'membersand Ameans -rorl Aclosingfnthe stern of the hull. v

i 12..:A .boat hull Yaccording'to clairnl, in which thelfmeans 1for-'closing f the stern of thel hu1lf-comf'prises aipairrotplane sternpanels'oinedwtofgetherfat :an .obtuse .angle -at the mdestern land.vjoinedf to .ltheibottomf'panels andv side panels, the `saidsterntpanels 'and side panels-being bjoined 'at'. the :topwby 5a l,deckVportion :of sheet material `having a :complementarily'shaped' edge. y

JOHANNESzI-IIWEN-DT.

REFEnENCEsforrED l v Y The following referencesfarefof record in 4the"le'f this patent: i ,UNITED 'STATES iA'rErirsV Number, :Name Date Y*1,679,630 Roys eAug, -7, 1928 '1,730,844' .I Dupuis O.ct. 8, 192-9f1`,837,7:10 :Heinemann Dec..-22, 1931 11,852,987@ Y Tyler V .-Apr.=;5,'.1932 v (1,917,367 f -Hall Ju1y .11,11-933 2,112,171 Marlow VMar.fv2-2,1938. 2,119,881 Kline June 7, :1938 ,2,344,236 Dawson Mar. 14,'11944.22,422,818 :Bamberger :J une :24,11947 172,500,279 -Eichner Mar. I14,4950 j lFORiIiIGfN,1=A"IENT.S y p Numberg VCountry Y Date

